


Five Reasons Why Clint Hates Medical and One Thing That Makes It Okay

by lil_1337



Category: MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 16:50:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4356872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pretty much what it says on the tin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Reasons Why Clint Hates Medical and One Thing That Makes It Okay

1\. The food. Medical has a well deserved reputation for serving the blandest food on the planet. However, it is healthy, warm, and comes in surprisingly large portions so Clint never refuses to eat it. He learned, courtesy of a childhood spent in extreme poverty, that you eat whatever is available no matter what it is or how unappetizing it might be. Food is food and as long as it does its job it doesn’t have to be tasty or well presented. However, since coming to work for SHIELD and having security in his life, Clint has expanded his culinary horizons to include things that are not the least expensive brand or cut of meat. All the traveling to exotic locales where people are trying to kill him or vice versa has helped too. He’s discovered the joy of spicy Thai dishes, curried lamb, and a mild allergy to bok choy. Trying new dishes has become one of his favorite down time activities. So, while a baked chicken breast with a green salad and steamed rice more than fills the bill in the nutrition department it is too vivid a reminder of days spent scavenging for anything that would fill his belly and ease the ache of perpetual hunger for a little while.

2\. The needles. Between HYDRA, AIM, and an assortment of super villains Clint has been injected with a variety of knock out drugs, experimental potions, and poisons. Usually by people who are not skilled with the use of needles and don’t care about the level of pain they might be inflicting. In response medical has injected him with antibiotics, antidotes, vitamins, vaccinations, and a variety of other things. As a result Clint has development a certain level of dislike for syringes or anything resembling them. There is a note on the front of his file in large, bold, writing that states Agent Barton is to be given all medications in pill or liquid form if at all possible. If injections are absolutely necessary then it is vital to make sure that Agent Barton is completely aware of what is going to happen before it occurs. The last person who disregarded this warning got a disciplinary write up and a chance to experience medical from the other side.

3\. The lack of Privacy. Clint Barton is a deeply suspicious, incredibly private man. Life has taught him well to be wary of people who want to know how vulnerable you are or what your weak spots are and it is not a lesson he could never forget even if he wanted to. That is not to say he’s shy. He’ll talk to anyone about anything and has no qualms about wandering through medical with his ass hanging out of his gown. He is much more comfortable with showing his anatomy to perfect strangers than he is letting his doctor know his real pain level or that he is currently rereading ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ for the fifth time. Deflection and distraction are great skills for a spy, but they are less than ideal when it comes to assisting your doctor in making an accurate assessment of healing.

4\. The lack of sleep. Rest is one of the most common prescriptions handed out by medical and it is something they work hard to help their patients achieve. For some it only takes softer sheets or dimmer lighting while others require a more aggressive approach usually involving better sleeping through the judicious application of chemicals. Clint has learned the art of sleeping anywhere, anytime, but it is never deep or truly restful unless he is some place he feels safe. Unfortunately, medical does not qualify unless he has people nearby who he trusts to have his back. That’s better now that he has the Avengers around to take turns watching out for him, but that was not the case in the past.

5\. The boredom. While Clint loves a post mission, fall asleep on the couch, down day as much as the next agent one is usually enough for him. Twenty four hours of inactivity is about all he can stand before he needs to be up and doing something physically active. Despite having an awesome tablet that allows him to read books, watch movies, or surf the internet he gets bored and restless very quickly. The times he manages to keep his mind occupied his body refuses to read the memo about lying back and relaxing, his limbs twitching and flexing on their own. Even visits from Natasha, filled with stories and the latest gossip, only help for a while. Her need to see him and reassure herself that he is okay is at war with her similar levels of discomfort with medical personnel eventually serve to feed his own.

+1 Coulson always visits. The first time that Clint woke up in medical Coulson was there; sitting in the chair next to the bed, frowning at something he was reading on his tablet. He’d looked up and in his blandest voice had said “if you wanted some attention all you had to do was say so. It wasn't necessary to jump off a building.” Clint, never one to be able to pass up an opportunity to be a smart ass, had grinned, cracking open the cut at the side of his mouth and said “so”. That was the beginning of the best part of being in medical - one on one time with Coulson. Something about his calm demeanor allowed Clint to relax enough to let the doctors do what they needed to knowing that he would be safe and protected. A rare commodity in the world of Clint Barton. It didn’t make medical some place that Clint wanted to be, but it did make the times he had to be there a bit more bearable.


End file.
